Sports Betting SEO

Sports Betting SEO Guide: The Playbook to Rank #1 on Google

Sportsbooks like DraftKings get around 3.3M visitors a month from organic search on Google, while sports betting tools such as Odd Jam are receiving around 65,500 (based on data from Semrush). How do they do this?  They accomplish this with sports betting SEO to rank high on Google for a variety of search phrases related to their product.

With ~69% of search traffic going to the top three pages, anyone who isn’t listed at the top of google searches is missing the lion share of traffic. But worry not, because in this article we provide you with the ultimate guide on sports betting SEO (search engine optimization).

The techniques we discuss here pertain to sportsbooks, sports betting apps, service provides in sports betting, and more. You’ll find a simplified explanation of SEO for sports betting, including steps you can take now to start optimizing your website and platform so that you can rank #1 on Google.

But before we dive into the guide, lets first discuss why SEO is important for sports betting businesses.

Why do Sports Betting SEO?

Whether you’re doing SEO for sports books, betting app, or a sports betting brand, the more traffic you can drive to your website is beneficial in many respects. For example, increased traffic to your website allows you to:

• Build Brand Awareness;
• Guide user behavior towards conversions;
• Collect more data on users;
• Generate more revenue;
• Monetize your audience,
• and more.

As eluded to earlier, the #1 spot on Google search pages receives an average of 39.8% of the traffic. The second position gets 18.7% of traffic and the third position gets an average of 10.2% of all clicks (according to BacklinkO) .

Anyone not in the top three search results are getting the scraps.

Plus, sports betting SEO has staying power. Unlike paid ads, which are expensive, and the second you stop paying for the ads all that traffic immediately goes away, SEO is the gift that keeps giving.

Once your sports betting platform is SEO optimized, you’ll rank high on google for months or years without having to inject more capital.

Keyword Research

Keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO strategy, especially in the competitive sports betting industry.

It involves identifying the terms and phrases potential customers use when searching for sports betting information online.

Identifying Core Keywords

The goal of keyword research is to identify search phrases that your target audience is searching.

You can start by listing out broad topics related to sports betting, such as “sports betting odds,” “betting tips,” and “best betting apps.”

Begin with tools like SEMrush, Google Search Console, and Google Trends to discover high-traffic, low-competition keywords directly related to sports betting.

Also, the key is to recognize that each web page or blog post on your site can target unique keywords, expanding your visibility across search engines.

Understanding User Intent

Thereafter, you should classify keywords by intent:

• informational (e.g., “how to bet on sports”),
  navigational (e.g., “[brand name] app download”),
  transactional (e.g., “best sports betting bonuses”), and
  local (e.g., “sports betting in [location]”).

Once grouped appropriately, you can tailor content to meet the specific needs expressed through search intent.

Competitive Analysis

Another great way to generate keyword ideas is to analyze your competitors’ websites and their keyword focus to identify gaps and opportunities.

You can use tools like SEMrush to see where competitors rank for key terms and aim to create better content around those terms.

Long-Tail Keywords

Focus on long-tail keywords for you sports betting SEO, which are less competitive and more specific (e.g., “best NFL betting strategies for beginners”).

These often have lower search volumes but can attract more qualified traffic and lead to higher conversion rates.

This will help you start to build traffic and website authority, which will allow you to target those harder to reach terms.

Keyword Optimization for Sports Betting SEO

Once identified, incorporate keywords naturally into website content, meta titles, descriptions, and URLs.

Ensure content is high-quality, informative, and answers the questions users are searching for.

Now that we’ve covered keyword research, let’s discuss how to improve your strength of your website for sports betting SEO.

Build Your Domain Authority (aka Website Strength)

To achieve a top ranking on Google, enhancing your domain authority is crucial. This involves bolstering your site’s credibility through three key areas:

• website optimization,
• content marketing, and
• link building.

Each of these categories is essential for strengthening your website’s authority and will be elaborated on in the subsequent sections, providing you with practical steps to implement immediately.

Website Optimization for Sports Betting SEO

Website optimization is a crucial first step in an effective sports betting SEO strategy.

First, choosing a URL that includes your target keyword can significantly benefit your ranking for that term and related terms. However, if your URL is already set, using your brand name is perfectly fine.

Also, a hierarchical structure, as opposed to a flat structure, is most effective for SEO. This involves organizing your content with parent and child pages to clearly show relationships between different sections of your site, aiding search engines in understanding and crawling your website more efficiently.

Additionally, ensure each page’s title and meta-description are strategically chosen to include your focus keyword, and incorporate these keywords throughout your content thoughtfully.

This approach optimizes your website’s structure, laying a solid foundation for your sports betting SEO efforts.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is vital for sports betting SEO, involving the creation of articles, videos, images, and other content to engage your audience.

Regularly updating your website with fresh content signals to Google that your site is active, enhancing its appeal to search engines.

This strategy also allows you to target a wider array of keywords related to sports betting, increasing your site’s visibility and traffic.

Consider creating content hubs on your site, like blogs or news sections, to publish valuable information for your audience. This approach not only boosts SEO but positions your site as a comprehensive resource for sports betting enthusiasts.

Creating content also provides you with the ability to generate links, both internal and external links. Links are essential to an effect sports betting SEO strategy, as well describe in the next section.

Link Building

One major factor Google considers when ranking your site is links to and you website. When it comes to creating links for sports betting SEO, there are two types of links to focus on:

• Internal Links
• External Links
• Internal Links

For effective sports betting SEO, mastering link building is crucial, and it starts with internal links. Internal links connect various pages or posts within your site, enhancing navigation and establishing a structured hierarchy.

When crafting content, incorporate links to other relevant internal pages, using the targeted SEO keywords as anchor text. This strategy not only aids in site organization but also boosts the SEO strength of individual pages, making it easier for search engines to understand and rank your content in the sports betting niche.

External Links (aka Backlinks)

On the other hand, we’ve got external links (also known as backlinks), which are links from other websites, social media, emails, and any place that is not your website. So just think of external links as links outside of your website pointing back to your website.

The links don’t have to go just to your homepage. In fact, the whole point of content marketing is to create a ton of content on your website that people can link back to you for a variety of different terms and purposes.

Let’s say you have an AI NFL picks page on your website and you also have an AI NBA picks page on your website. Now external websites have a choice to link to the NFL page or the NBA page depending on what is relevant.

So now you have two pages being linked to with two separate terms that people are likely searching for on different occasions, thereby increasing your traffic reach.

Organic Backlinks

When it comes to generating organic backlinks, these are links that arise organically from people who link to your content because they like it, or they find it useful or relevant to their own content.

If you want to generate backlinks, its best that you focus on creating valuable and relevant content that people want to link back to.

Creating Backlinks

On the other hand you can also play an active role in generating backlinks to your website. You can accomplish this through:

• Social Media,
• Email Newsletter,
• Guest Post,
• Press,
• Media Appearances,
• Directory Listing,
• And More.

Let’s break down how you can leverage these channels to generate more backlinks to your website for sports betting SEO.

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY FOR SEO

Social media plays a crucial role in content marketing, serving as an excellent channel for sharing your content and driving traffic back to your site.

By strategically posting on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and including direct links to your website, you can capitalize on your audience’s engagement.

Not only does this approach enhance your sports betting SEO efforts by creating valuable backlinks, but it also amplifies the reach of the content housed on your website, contributing to a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

EMAIL NEWSLETTERS AS BACKLINK SOURCES

Email newsletters are a powerful tool for generating backlinks. They tap into the daily habit of email checking, often the first task people do in the morning.

By including links to your site’s content, newsletters not only drive traffic back to your website but also steer user behavior towards conversion.

The advantage of email over social media in sports betting SEO is the ownership of data. Subscriber emails remain accessible to you, providing a stable, direct line of communication, unlike social media followers who could vanish if a platform shuts down, a not-too-unlikely scenario in the regulated world of sports betting.

Therefore, building a robust email subscriber list can secure a consistent audience for your content

GUEST POSTING FOR SPORTS BETTING SEO

Guest posting is a strategic method to acquire backlinks by contributing content to other websites. This mutually beneficial practice allows you to embed links to your site within the articles you provide.

Many websites welcome guest contributors as it enriches their content offerings. When done correctly, guest posting can be an effective tool to expand your reach and bolster your site’s SEO profile.

PRESS AND MEDIA APPEARANCES

Leveraging press and media appearances can significantly enhance your SEO through the inclusion of backlinks in published articles. These citations not only provide valuable backlinks but also increase brand visibility.

A smart strategy is to repurpose these mentions on your own News and Updates page. This not only consolidates your media footprint but also enriches your site’s content, contributing further to your SEO efforts.

That’s a good enough summary of internal and external links for now. Let’s now focus on another important area: Mobile Optimization.

Mobile Optimization for Sports Betting SEO

Mobile optimization ensures your sports betting site is accessible and user-friendly on mobile devices. Given the increasing mobile internet usage, optimizing for mobile is crucial for sports betting SEO and user engagement.

Responsive Design

Ensure your website adjusts seamlessly to various screen sizes, providing an optimal browsing experience on smartphones, tablets, and desktops.

Speed Optimization

Mobile users expect fast loading times. Compress images, leverage browser caching, and minimize code to speed up your site.

User Experience (UX) for Sports Betting SEO

Simplify navigation, use large buttons, and ensure text is readable without zooming to enhance the mobile user experience.

Local SEO

Incorporate local keywords and ensure your business is listed in online directories to improve visibility in local search results, crucial for mobile users on the go for sports betting SEO.

Testing and Monitoring

Regularly test your site on different devices and monitor mobile traffic using analytics tools to identify areas for improvement.

Optimizing for mobile not only supports your SEO efforts but also aligns with user preferences, contributing to higher engagement and conversion rates.

Converting Traffic from Sports Betting SEO

So what are you gonna do with all that traffic that’s coming to your website through sports betting SEO? Well, now you’ve got to optimize your site for converting that traffic to paid users, subscribers, leads, or whatever your conversion goals are.

Focus on enhancing user experience and site structure for intuitive navigation. Incorporate compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) throughout your site, using both language and visuals to guide users toward your desired actions, such as signing up, making a bet, or subscribing.

Prioritize clear, persuasive CTAs and a streamlined path to conversion to transform traffic into tangible business outcomes.

Analytics and Performance Monitoring

To gauge the success of your sports betting SEO strategy, analytics and performance monitoring are key. Utilize tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. Break down the data by:

• Traffic Analysis: Understand where your visitors are coming from and what keywords are driving them to your site.
• Behavior Tracking: Analyze how visitors interact with your site, identifying popular pages and potential bottlenecks.
• Conversion Metrics: Measure how effectively your site turns visitors into leads or customers, focusing on conversion rates for key actions.
• Performance Benchmarks: Set and review performance benchmarks regularly to gauge SEO effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.

By closely monitoring these metrics, you can refine your SEO strategy, optimize website performance, and ultimately drive more targeted traffic to your sports betting platform.

Conclusion on Sports Betting SEO

Sports betting SEO is an art and science. It requires dedication and persistence. It also requires a lot of time, a resource that is extremely limited.

For this reason, our sports betting digital marketing agency exists: to make your life easier. Let BV manage your sports betting SEO, while you focus on running your business.

Want to learn about SEO for sportsbooks? Click the link.